An exciting roster of artists and leading arts organizations are participating in this year’s Art Encounters program – TOAF’s dedicated access and outreach program.

Northwest Territories

The NWT Arts Program is a marketing initiative that supports artists of the Northwest Territories (NWT) to participate in the creative economy. NWT Arts aims to foster a positive environment for artists to generate an income from their creative work through business development workshops, marketing programs and services, and increasing consumer awareness to the unique and skillful pieces of work that are handmade in the NWT.

 Indigenous Curatorial Collective

The Indigenous Curatorial Collective / Collectif des commissaires autochtones (ICCA) is an Indigenous run and led non-profit organization that aims to support and connect fellow Indigenous curators, artists, writers, academics, and professionals through various methods of gathering. The ICCA engages in critical discourses, increases professional opportunities for our members, develops programming, and most importantly works to build reciprocal relationships with Indigenous curators, artists, communities and the institutions we engage with.

Tangled Art + Disability

Tangled Art + Disability is dedicated to connecting professional and emerging artists, the arts community, and a diverse public through creative passion and artistic excellence. Our mission is to support Disabled, d/Deaf, chronically ill, neurodiverse, k/crip, Mad, sick & spoonie artists; to cultivate Disability Arts in Canada; and to increase opportunities for everyone to participate in the arts. We do this by:

• Developing, showcasing, promoting, and employing Disabled artists;
• Creating partnerships and collaborations that increase opportunities for Disabled artists;
• Empowering Deaf, Mad, and Disability-identified people to embrace and explore their own creativity;
• Publicly showcasing the rich diversity of talent from the Disability Arts community.

The Canadian Cultural Society of the Deaf 

The Canadian Cultural Society of the Deaf (CCSD), a registered non-profit organization since 1973, recognized as one of Canada’s national arts service organizations, has received numerous awards for its Deaf arts productions. 

One of our core mandates is to feature and foster high quality Deaf visual and performing artists’ work to significantly increased audiences, with increased numbers of artist works, increased and strengthened partnerships to build and solidify capacity and our place in the arts ecosystem.  Our new headquarter is now the Deaf Culture Retreat Centre, a 4-acre retreat venue in Grande-Digue, New Brunswick, also a home of the Deaf Arts Academy, a training for the next generation of professional Deaf visual and performing artists.

Black Artists’ Networks in Dialogue (BAND)

Black Artists’ Networks in Dialogue (BAND) is a charitable organization dedicated to supporting, documenting and showcasing the artistic and cultural contributions of Black artists and arts professionals.

Established in 2010, BAND was founded with a mission to connect communities through the arts to educate, inspire, and enlighten. At BAND, we are re-imagining what an arts institution can be. We see ourselves not just as a gallery, but also as a connector, a constructive space for dialogue, and a trusted guide in the creative growth of emerging artists and arts professionals. BAND operates in service to Black artists and a diverse public, hosting a range of free programs including exhibitions, performances, workshops and talks.

Learn more about what we do and how you can get involved at bandgallery.com

National accessArts Centre (NaAC)

The National accessArts Centre (NaAC) presented by TD Ready Commitment, formerly known as the In-Definite Arts Society that was founded in 1975, was created in 2020 following the amalgamation of In-Definite Arts with its sister disability arts organizations Momo Movement and Artistic Expressions. As Canada’s first multidisciplinary disability arts company, the NaAC provides artistic training, creation, and exhibition/presentation opportunities for artists with developmental, physical, and acquired disabilities.

The NaAC supports more than 300 artists living with developmental and/or physical disabilities through on-site studio supports and workshops, and an even broader community of Canadian artists with disabilities through immersive programs delivered online. The NaAC currently operates a multidisciplinary studio space in Calgary, and the Won Lee Community Arts Hub in Toronto.

Our heartfelt thanks to the Lindy Green Family Foundation, the inaugural supporter of this initiative, TD Bank Group (TD), Element Event Solutions, Clearview Foundation and all our individual supporters.